Recommendations of the Study Group on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are summarized in this report. The report is then reviewed by the National Academy of Education. The recommendations are to: (1) maintain NAEP's continuity; (2) assess the core curriculum; (3) focus on transitional grades (4, 8, and 12) and sample…

The curriculum content of elementary and secondary school social studies is discussed as it relates to the assessment of social studies learning. In addition, recommendations are made for future efforts in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The social studies curriculum involves both factual learning and concept learning.…

A number of political issues are involved in educational testing and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Many school officials are disturbed by the number of tests administered and the information and instructional time lost; they are reluctant to accede to further voluntary testing programs which might duplicate current…

This digest of 310 Project evaluation methods is intended to provide examples of and guidelines for evaluating 310 projects at the national, state, and project levels. The first section, which is devoted to state-level 310 evaluation projects, includes a report on a longitudinal study assessing the impact of 310 projects in Florida, a report…

This annual report to the Governor of Maryland provides an abbreviated account of the activities of the state's community colleges, including institutional plans and objectives. Section I explains the mission and goals of the State Board for Community Colleges (SBCC) and for the institutions themselves, focusing on missions related to students,…

This paper examines trends in the use of research and evaluation resources in the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District (DISD) and in other school districts throughout the country. First, the organization and functions of the Department of Research, Evaluation, and Audit of the DISD are presented and compared to those of 7 years ago. Second,…

Nigeria's new National Policy on Education embodies a specific approach to the Nigerian people's need and and preference for reading in native languages, English, and other languages. This article examines that approach from three perspectives: (1) multilingual, in which the basic education is bilingual (native language and English, with English…

A 2-year study examined the relevance of English-as-a-second-language instructional materials for students in health care fields. The study gathered specific information on common medical activities requiring the use of English and identified problem areas. A random sample of students of medicine, pharmacy, and research science was surveyed, the…

This document, the final report of a project assessing the general status of English language training (ELT) in Central America, includes an overview of the process, general recommendations, and country-specific information and recommendations for training and policy development. The purpose was to assess the potential effects of the ELT situation…

These proceedings contain the texts of the following four papers presented at a conference on research needs for extension education: "4-H Makes a Difference--Or Does It?" by Gerald Parsons; "Research Needs in the Administration and Supervision of Cooperative Extension," by Patrick Boyle; "Research Needs in Extension…

This paper considers three areas related to the testing of minimum knowledge and skills: public policy, the nature of higher-order thinking and selected aspects of educational measurement. The discussion of public policy issues centers around an apparent dichotomy of egalitarianism and elitism in public education, schooling and the public economy,…

This volume of measurement instruments in the English language arts is the second one produced by the Research Instruments Project (TRIP), which was designed to collect and evaluate research instruments in language arts, language and language development, literacy, literature, oral language, reading, teacher knowledge/attitudes, and writing. The…

Studies are reviewed of issues that potentially inform policies and practices in initial and continuing education, including teacher educators, prospective and practicing teachers as learners, the teacher education curriculum, and the milieu in which teacher education takes place. Across these four areas, mutually reinforcing factors explain why…

A summary of the Outcomes Structure developed by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) is presented. The Outcomes Structure consists of three dimensions: those affected by the outcome (the audience); the type of outcome; and when the outcome occurs or is expected to occur (time). Potential uses of the Outcomes…

The Effective Schools Project is a test of a general method for improving organizational effectiveness. The method--Program Development Evaluation (PDE)--calls for researcher-practitioner collaboration in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs to increase school effectiveness. Two Baltimore City junior high schools are working with…